What Is Mindful Indulgence?
We live in a time where speed is a commodity. Faster, better, newer make up the motto of the day. Society these days thrives on an instant gratification philosophy where our attention spans have collapsed to a barely there status, and social approval seems to rule how we choose to live our lives. It's no wonder, then, why so many of us are so stressed out, leaning on vices and devices to tame what seems to be our never-ending anxiety.
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But then comes Mindful Indulgence, the possible solution to all of this mess. Yet, what does this way of thinking and living actually offer us?
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Mindful indulgence allows us to be more grounded in our present moments and able to appreciate stillness, quality, integrity, and attention to detail. It allows us to slow down to enjoy where we are while on our way to where we are going. And it reminds us to enjoy and share without needing any approval or validation from the outside world.
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Now while some might propose a very strict spiritual regimen in order to achieve these goals, I, on the other hand, think the opposite. You see, it's not about depriving ourselves of the things and experiences that we love. Rather, it's about savoring them more, appreciating them, and engaging with them mindfully from a perspective of presence. There is no need for us to give up the physical pleasures of life; we just need to be more mindful with them, both in how we manifest them and how we experience them in our lives. We need to realize our priorities and then pay attention to their calling. And we need to stop paying so much mind to what everybody else is doing and, instead, be mindful of our own personal purpose as we create meaning in our own lives. Essentially, we need to utilize both our spiritual nature and our physical expressions in order to create the true fulfillment we seek.
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This is especially crucial for those of us who already veer towards self-sacrifice and ensuring that everyone else's needs are being taken care of first. Now, while it is always commendable to be nurturing, giving, and loving, unfortunately a lot of the time the scales are not equally balanced. Most of the time it is the nurturers of this world who bear the brunt of the responsibilities simply because they do not set healthy boundaries, they do not know how to ask for what they want, and they are unaware of or unwilling to nurture themselves properly. And this is a sure recipe for disaster.
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While it is honorable to ensure that everyone else's needs are being met, we must also set aside some time for ourselves in order to recharge our batteries and replenish our reserves so that we not only make a positive contribution, but that we also make room to fulfill our own personal desires and needs.
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So, in comes the art of mindful indulgence, and learning to savor the physical experience from a more present and conscious perspective. We deserve to enjoy our lives. We deserve to experience total fulfillment. We deserve to manifest our passions and fulfill our purpose. We deserve to have this thing we love AND that thing we love too. And we deserve to be appreciated and loved for who we are and everything that we do. This is what the goal needs to be. Not to get "there" faster, (because what we desire is already here and now in existence anyway), but to enjoy the ride along the way as we mindfully indulge, create, and share our heart's desires and passions with others.
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